The Way of the Children
by The Digital Gate
Summary: DISCONTINUED. 27 years have passed since the DReaper attacked. After so many years of peace, the Digital World is about to enter war. Only this time, it's up to the Tamers' reluctant children and their partners to save another other world.
1. Chapter One: Orbs in a Bucket

**The Digital Gate:** An almost complete rewrite of the previous _The Way of the Children_. Most of the same concept will be used, but there may be different ideas. Since it has become a habit for me, Japanese names will be used, but there will be dubbed terms and Digimon names.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Digimon.

* * *

_About a year after the D-Reaper's assault on the human world, Digimon ceased to exist from humans' minds. Forgotten were the heroes who had saved the world and the world returned to its usual business._

_Digimon related merchandise were taken off of shelves, the names of the Tamers were long forgotten. And so, Digimon was erased from human memory, excluding the Tamers and their parents._

_Years passed. The Tamers graduated, went on to college, keeping a wary eye on the other world's events. However, Digital World showed no threat of invasion or corruption and the Tamers relaxed and ceased to venture into it. _

_They were wrong to do so. Soon after the Tamers turned the other way, a new evil began seeping into the Digital World, poisoning its grounds and corrupting Digimon. Worst of all, it had humans helping it._

_Twenty seven years have gone by since the D-Reaper's defeat. Now the fate of the Digital World rests in a group of seven children and their Digimon partners. __This is the story of seven children who, at first, were reluctant to save another world. This is the story of their battles and adventures. This is the story of friendship and trust. This is __**our**__ story._

* * *

_**The Way of the Children:**  
Chapter One:  
Orbs in a Bucket_

_(Ayame Matsuda; Matsuda Bakery, West Shinjuku, Tokyo; September 30__th__; 7:05 AM)_

"ARI MATSUDA, GET UP RIGHT NOW!"

Ari jerked suddenly and promptly toppled out of her bed. She lay there, groaning and tangled in her sheets, as her older brother stomped back down the stairs to attend to the bakery's morning customers.

After managing to extract herself from the piles of cloth Ari straightened herself up, making a face at her rude awakening. She hated the mornings.

Mumbling curses to whoever decided that school had to be in the morning, Ari grabbed a maroon shirt and yanked it over her white long sleeve shirt. Hopping into a pair of jeans, she snatched a pair of socks out of her dresser and raced downstairs.

"Morning," her mother called cheerfully from the kitchen.

"Morning," Ari called back, pulling on her socks. "Where are Mitsu-niichan and Yu-neechan?" Mitsuru and Yuko Matsuda, twin fifteen year olds, were her older brother and sister, both of whom constantly berated her for not taking more responsibility. They attended Niikata High, right next to Kamon Junior High.

"In the bakery, serving the customers." Her father, thirty nine year old Takato Matsuda, appeared before her. On his eighteenth birthday, he inherited the Matsuda Bakery and instead of selling it like his parents thought he would, he turned it into a popular store. He held a piece of bread out to her, remarking as he did so, "You know I never knew that this bakery would become so popular."

Ari grinned as she took the loaf of bread. "Morning dad."

Takato reached out and ruffled her hair. "Morning. Brush your hair, would you?" He turned his back and headed into the bakery, where the people there were squished together.

Ari rolled her eyes and, facing the mirror in the hallway, attempted to comb her fingers through her chestnut colored hair, inherited from her father. Her eyes, brown in color, stared back at her as she gazed, frowning, into the mirror. She looked nothing like her sister or her mother; both were exceedingly pretty. Compared to them, she felt dull in comparison.

"What're you staring at?" Mitsuru's voice from behind her made Ari jump. She turned around to see her older brother, his shaggy dark brown hair falling sloppily over his amber eyes, staring at her.

"There's a crack," Ari said plaintively, pointing randomly at the mirror. As Mitsuru bent to look, she scooted around him and headed into the kitchen where her mom was waiting with her lunch.

"Shion's waiting for you," thirty nine year old Juri Matsuda told her. "And his brother Kazuo." She lowered her voice into a whisper. "I think he just wants to see Yuko though."

Ari snorted as she shoved her lunch inside her dark red backpack. Yuko and Mitsuru were the most popular twins in their grade and had their own clubs. But she doubted that was the reason why Kazuo had come; he most likely had forgotten breakfast and was trying to see if he could get some bread free.

"I'm going now," Ari said as she shouldered her backpack. "See you."

"Be careful," Juri warned.

"Wait!" Yuko dashed up to them, hurriedly untying her apron and throwing it—"_Yuko_," Juri sighed—into a corner. She adjusted her green and white school uniform, dusted the flour out of her long, dark brown hair, and grabbed her bag. "I'm walking with you, remember?"

"Oh, yeah," Ari grinned sheepishly as her sister's amber eyes stared accusingly at her. "Is Mitsu-niichan coming?"

"No." Yuko headed for the door. "He was staring at the mirror, muttering about how he couldn't find a crack in it or something like that."

Ari couldn't help but laugh as they headed outdoors. To her surprise, she saw only Kazuo there, leaning against a wall and looking immensely bored.

"Where's Shion?" Ari asked as soon as she and Yuko reached Kazuo.

"He went ahead about ten minutes ago," Kazuo said; he, like Yuko and Mitsuru, attended Niikata High, and wore the trademark uniform: lime green blazer and tie, black pants, and pure white dress shirt. "Something about how he wanted to get to class on time for once."

Fifteen year old Kazuo Akiyama had shoulder-length, fiery red hair that resembled his mother's, and the most violet eyes Ari had ever seen or ever thought possible. His parents were none other than forty three year old Ryou Akiyama and thirty nine year old Ruki Akiyama.

Kazuo's brother was twelve year old Shion Akiyama, who recently had his birthday. Unlike his parents, Shion's hair was bright silver, due to some lab accident that had happened when he was younger and didn't like to talk about, and had dark brown eyes.

Yuko turned to look at Ari. "I'd run if I were you," she advised. "It's"—Yuko checked her watch—"7:17."

Ari opened her mouth to speak, thought better of it, and turned and ran off as fast as she could, cramming the last of her bread into her mouth as she did so.

* * *

(_Kaori Yamamoto; Yamamoto Residence, West Shinjuku, Tokyo; September 30__th__; 7:13 AM)_

"Bye," eleven year old Kaori Yamamoto called, brushing her jet black hair out from underneath her glasses. Her dark brown eyes blinked rapidly against the sun as she stepped outside.

She wore a white shirt flecked with blue—it was part of the design—a pair of blue jeans, and a frosty blue vest. Her tan bag hung off her shoulder and she began digging in it.

"See you," her older brother, who had recently turned seventeen, Yuudai said to their parents inside the house, shutting the door after them. He wore the Niikata High's required uniform. His hair, equally as dark as Kaori's, was cropped short and he ran a hand through it absentmindedly.

"We'd better go now," he said, glancing around with his bright blue eyes, inherited from their thirty seven year old Korean father, Shuichi Yamamoto. Their mother was thirty six year old Shuichon Lee; both of them had met in Todai.

Kaori, already immersed in a book she had just bought, nodded. They began to walk silently, each minding their own business. Soon they reached the crossroad. "Later," Kaori said, turning east.

"Later," Yuudai echoed, heading west.

Five minutes later, Kaori reached Shinjida and, grumbling under her breath, began the long walk up the stairs. Halfway she met Seiichi Shiota, the son of thirty nine year old Hirokazu Shiota and the late Alice Shiota, who had died shortly after giving birth to her daughter.

Seiichi was eleven years old and had dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. His younger sister, Riiko, was seven years old, and had inherited her father's brown hair and her mother's cerulean blue eyes.

"Hi," Seiichi smiled. He wore brown cargo pants, a white shirt, and a tan short-sleeved jacket. His black backpack was slung off one shoulder and rested against his side as he leaned the other way.

Kaori nodded and smiled in return. "Hi," she answered. "How's Riiko?"

"As hyper as she'll ever be," Seiichi replied.

They rounded the fifth floor and continued to their class. A sudden streak of silver shot past them. Neither flinched, only grinned. "There goes Shion," Kaori remarked as they reached their room.

Walking in, they spied Shion in his black leather jacket, silver shirt, and black jeans and shoes, panting with his head on his desk. He raised his head momentarily. "Hi," he gasped, then dropped his head back down.

Seiichi checked his watch. "Ari should come running in about three minutes," he noted, sliding into his seat at the beginning of the third row and placing his backpack on the ground.

Kaori just nodded and headed towards her seat, at the very back of the room. Three minutes came and went. Ari shot through the door, nearly collided with the teacher's table, and hurriedly jumped over desks in order to get to her own. Kaori tried not to laugh; it happened every day, after all.

By then, Shion had recovered enough to turn around and sneer at Ari, two rows and three desks away. "Almost late again?" he taunted. Everyone sitting around them cast both an amused glance before returning to their business; Ari's and Shion's daily argument had become unimportant.

"So?" Ari shot back, slouched in her seat. "I bet you were, too."

"By four minutes, not _one_."

"Four, one; what's the difference?"

"Three. _Duh_."

"What?"

"I _said_, four minus one is _three_. And you're passing math, too. Simply _amazing_."

Ari was about to shoot back a retort when Seiichi, three seats behind Shion said, loudly, "The teacher's coming."

Ari's and Shion's mouths snapped shut and Shion turned to face the front of the room just as their brown haired, green eyed teacher, Umi Nada, strode in. She was carrying a thick sheaf of papers, which she promptly dropped on her desk.

"Good morning, Nada-sensei," everyone chorused.

"Good morning," the teacher replied. She indicated towards the stack of papers. "Our principal has kindly given these to me for you to take—"

"What are they?" one boy shouted.

"Math tests." At her words, almost instantly, the students all began shouting at once.

"_WHAT?_"

"Are you _serious?_"

"You're kidding me!"

"But we just took one a few days ago!"

"Our principal is an idiot, Nada-sensei! You can't _possibly_ expect us to take it!"

Nada-sensei waited patiently, if somewhat irritably, for the commotion to die down. Then she announced loudly, "The principal has informed me if you choose not to take it, then you may not attend the annual school festival."

All remaining noises ceased and everyone, reluctantly, retrieved a pencil.

Nada-sensei went around the rows, handing out the packets. "You will have until lunch to finish these. If you finish before, _stay in your seat_ and go over the answers. If you need to use the restroom, go now or hold it in. Any—Akiyama and Matsuda! Stop arguing this instant!"

Ari and Shion jumped and Shion whirled around in his seat as Nada-sensei advanced on them. "Argue, argue, argue, is that all you two do? If I catch you again, then you two will take over cleaning duty for a week! Am I understood?"

"Yes," Ari muttered.

"Sure," Shion grumbled.

Satisfied, Nada-sensei returned to passing out the math tests. Ari mouthed something quietly and Shion snapped back around, roaring, "I heard that!"

Nada-sensei whipped back. "Cleaning duty for a week! And if I hear another peep out of you two, detention!"

They stayed quiet for the remainder of the day.

* * *

_(Shion Akiyama; Shinjida Elementary, West Shinjuku, Tokyo; September 30__th__; 2:45 PM)_

Shion scowled as he dunked his mop into the soapy gray bucket. He swirled it around violently; water splashed over the sides and onto the blue tiled floor. "Nice going, Matsuda," he snapped.

"What do you mean?" Ari challenged, picking up a seat and placing it upside-down on its desk. "That it's my fault? _You're_ the one that turned around right after Nada-sensei told us to stop."

"_You_ said something about me," Shion retorted, jamming his mop into a dusty corner vigorously. "I know you did. Don't try to deny it."

Ari snorted. "And why shouldn't I?" she demanded. "You didn't see me; you wouldn't know."

"Yes, but I know you," Shion argued, "and I know that you would've said something anyway."

"I wouldn't have said anything," Ari shot back. She yanked out a cloth and a sprayer from another bucket and began cleaning the windows.

"No, you wouldn't have," Shion agreed. "You would have just screamed it out."

"Enough!" Nada-sensei stuck her head inside, causing both of them to jump and turn. Shion's mop, which he had been carrying back to the bucket, hit the side of the teacher's desk.

Nada-sensei sighed, looking exasperated. "Don't you two ever give it a rest?" she demanded.

"We'll make sure they do." Seiichi and Kaori appeared from behind their teacher; the latter gave a violent start and Shion and Ari shared an amused glance before remembering that they were mad at each other and looked away.

"Oh," Nada-sensei said, still looking faint. "You do that, Shiota, Yamamoto. Have a good day now." Kaori, Seiichi—and after a glare from Seiichi—Ari, and Shion bowed as she left the room.

Kaori wordlessly sat on top of the teacher's desk, opened a book, and began reading it. Seiichi leaned against the table, almost but not quite touching her. They seemed comfortable with their positions.

After a few silent minutes, Shion grumbled, "What, so we can't talk now?"

"You can," Seiichi said. "Just don't bicker."

"Whatever," Ari muttered. "Just as soon as I can get this done." She went to rinse the cloth and when she returned, dumped it in the bucket. "Where's the other mop?"

Shion pointed. "Over there."

Ari fetched it, dunked it in the bucket. As she withdrew it, however, the murky, bubbly water began to glow. Shion looked over. "How did you _do_ that?" he asked, nearing the bright bucket.

"I don't know," Ari protested. "It just…"

By now Seiichi and Kaori had joined them. "That's something you don't see every day," Kaori remarked, stowing her book away and bending down to get a closer look.

"Careful," Seiichi began.

The contents inside the bucket exploded outwards as soap, water, and everything else from mopped up from within the classroom shot out. Kaori jerked back in time to avoid getting a head-on collision, but all got soaked.

As Shion picked grit out of his hair, mumbling about a practical joke that wasn't funny _at all_, something caught his attention. Seven orbs were floating in midair, circling continuously around each other.

Then, as if on an unspoken command, they broke apart: three soared out an open window; the four that remained shot towards Shion, Ari, Seiichi, and Kaori.

All four gave an unexpected squeak. Ari caught the one aiming for her, but slipped on the water beneath her shoes and fell to the ground. Kaori somehow managed to catch the glowing orb and stood staring at it. Seiichi's collided with his stomach and he grabbed hold of the shelf near him to keep himself upright. Unfortunately, his hand slid, as water had ended up on the shelf, and he ended up staring at the ceiling. As for Shion, he attempted to duck and the orb aiming at him crashed into his forehead and he fell to the floor, kicking over the almost-empty bucket in the process.

Seiichi, Shion, and Ari all gave a groan. Kaori looked around at them. "Why are you all on the floor?" she asked, surprise in her voice.

"Because we're all the unluckiest people in the world," Shion moaned. "And I'm the unluckiest of us all. My back, my forehead, _and_ my right foot hurt."

"Oh, quit whining," Ari grumbled as she heaved herself to her feet. She inspected her orb, which had stopped glowing. "What _is_ this?"

Shion took a look at his as well. It was the palest gray, trimmed and decorated with black. "Some sort of new technology?" he guessed.


	2. Chapter Two: An Overcrowded Restaurant

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Digimon.

_**Note:**__ Pijon is the original (Japanese) name for Pidgeotto._

* * *

_**The Way of the Children**  
Chapter Two:  
An Overcrowded Restaurant_

_(Ari Matsuda; Shinjida Elementary, West Shinjuku, Tokyo; September 30__th__; 3:00 PM)_

Ari didn't hear Shion's guess. All she could do was stare, bewildered, at the strange device. What _was_ it? And why had it come from a _bucket_ of all things? And yet, she knew what it was; she's seen her father's D-Arc long enough to know what the thing in her hand was, despite the difference in appearance.

"It's a digivice, isn't it?" Seiichi's voice broke into the silence that had come over them.

Ari found her voice. "Yeah. Yeah, it is."

"Then does that mean…" Seiichi trailed off; Shion answered his unspoken question.

"Tamers? Probably." The silver-haired boy frowned at his device and turned it over in his hands. His eyebrows scrunched together. "What is this?" he demanded.

Ari flipped her own device over. Her expression reformed into the same one Shion was wearing. In the center of the gray back of the device was a maroon symbol: two featherlike objects crossing near the ends of their tips and a simple flame in between both. The entire insignia was outlined in gold.

She felt a breath on her neck and turned to see Shion frowning over her shoulder. Before she could demand exactly_ why_ he was doing that and just _why_he was so close—although she really didn't mind for some reason, but she wasn't going to tell him _that_—he said, "It's not the same."

Ari blinked. "Huh?"

"It's not the same," repeated Shion. "The symbol." He held out his own device, bottom up, as a way of explanation.

The design was nearly the same. Instead of being maroon, it was dark silver, still outlined in gold. And instead of a flame, it was a diamond.

Kaori joined them—closely followed by Seiichi—her eyebrows knitted together. She stuck out her own device. "Neither is mine." Seiichi took his out for inspection as well, and they all stared at each others'.

Kaori's was blue, outlined in gold, and had the rising crest of a wave in the center. Seiichi's was a bright yellow, the gold outline somehow still visible, and was in the shape of a thunderbolt.

They went on staring until Ari finally said, "We'd better get back to cleaning. Besides, we have a reunion tonight."

They all groaned.

* * *

_(Satsumi Lee; Itadakimasu, West Shinjuku, Tokyo; September 30__th__; 3:29 PM)_

Fifteen-year-old Satsumi Lee entered the empty restaurant of Itadakimasu. His father looked up and smiled in greeting as he scrubbed at a varnished table. "Hey," thirty-nine year old Jenrya Lee said. "How was school?"

"Boring," said Satsumi, tossing his bag near the door. "Same thing again." He headed over to the computer behind the counter. "I need to use this for Programming."

Jenrya nodded. "Go right ahead." He finished wiping the table's surface and headed into the kitchen, removing his white smock and pulling on a purple sweater. "Ryou tinkered with the air conditioning today and broke it," he called. "It's going to get cold."

Satsumi grunted and zipped up his heavy dark green jacket. As he waited for the computer to open the program he needed, he tied the shoelaces on his silver boots, covered by his black jeans.

His mother was thirty-eight-year-old Kaho Hidaka, red-haired and bright blue eyes. Satsumi _hated_ her. She had left Jenrya nine years ago, leaving him brokenhearted in return. She never said why; one day they had woken up and she was gone. Almost a week later, she filed for divorce.

Once she visited their family again. She had remarried and was inviting Satsumi, Minako, and Aya to live with her and her new husband. To Jenrya she said nothing. They all refused and never saw her again.

The program opened and he bent over it, intent on his work. He became so immersed that he didn't notice people trickling in, chatting to each other. Satsumi only looked up when he heard, "Ari, guess what?"

Satsumi's gray eyes blinked and he groaned, running a hand through his red, red hair. There was no mistaking the hyper, high-pitched voice of Yuko Matsuda. He glanced up and saw her enter, swinging her hands as she talked animatedly with her sister, Ayame—or as she preferred, Ari—Matsuda.

With them were Mitsuru Matsuda, Seiichi Shiota, Shion Akiyama, Kaori Yamamoto, Kazuo Akiyama, and the unmistakable purple hair of Kioshi Minami. The sixteen-year-old wasn't wearing Naisho's required uniform—black slacks, white dress shirt, and lavender blazer and tie—and was instead wearing his customary outfit: a white shirt, black jeans, a black trench coat, brown leather boots, and a silver dog tag.

"What?" Ari sounded as if she'd rather be anywhere else. Seiichi glanced around the room and went off to join Isao and Iwao Kitagawa, who were at a table nearby. Kaori peeled out from the group and went to help her mother unload boxes. Shion and Kioshi glared at each other before stalking off to arm wrestle.

"'Suru-niichan got himself a girlfriend!" Yuko chirped. Ari's eyebrows lifted and her brother Mitsuru, just behind her, flushed with embarrassment. "Her name's Nishio Ikada. Her friends call her Nishi, but 'Suru-niichan calls her _Ishio_-chan. _Righht?_" She nudged her brother.

"Yeah, yeah," Mitsuru mumbled, quickening his pace.

Satsumi shook his head and returned to his work. He personally didn't know how Yuko's siblings could stand her. To him, she was just another preppy fool who had nothing better to do than gossip.

* * *

_(Seiichi Shiota; Itadakimasu, West Shinjuku, Tokyo; September 30__th__; 3:45 PM)_

Seiichi had been surprised when Kioshi pulled up in his car, telling them to get in and that he was taking them to the restaurant. The sixteen-year-old had insisted that Ari sat up front—calling her "Ayame" instead of "Ari" as he always did—claiming that she was the most responsible.

Then he ignored the rest of them until they got there, occasionally asking Ari questions, causing her to blush. The only amusing part was when Shion gritted his teeth every time Ari's cheeks turned red.

What Seiichi found weirdest of all was that Kioshi showed animosity towards Shion as well. Every sentence they said to each other—there wasn't many—was through tense voices.

When they had arrived, Yuko, Mitsuru, and Kazuo had been there to greet them, Kazuo towering over them all like a giant. Yuko had been chatting with her sister and Seiichi had broken apart from the group—which was already splitting up—to join Isao and Iwao Kitagawa, both of whom were wearing Kamon Junior High's uniform: white vests and shirts, baby blue ties, and blue slacks, along with bright red tennis shoes. Their parents were thirty-nine year old Kenta Kitagawa and thirty-eight year old Sachiko Kitagawa.

Isao and Iwao were thirteen-year-old twins with identical ginger hair and dark, fathomless brown eyes. The only way to tell the two apart was by studying their cheekbones; Isao's were higher and sharper. Both were shy, Isao more than Iwao, and if Seiichi didn't know them any better, he would have found them intimidating.

They were bent over a whiteboard, playing the simplest of games; Isao would draw a Pokemon and Iwao would try to guess before Isao was done. If he did, a point was added to his score. If he didn't, nothing would happen. Then they would switch. So far, Isao was winning, 23-1.

"Why are you losing so much?" Seiichi had asked when he first saw the score.

"Because he stinks at drawing," Iwao had complained. "Hey—you want to join? I bet I can guess what you're trying to draw better than any of Isao's pictures."

As he sat there, watching Isao attempting to draw something with wings, Seiichi reflected that Iwao was probably right. Isao _did_ stink at drawing whereas Iwao excelled at it.

"Done," Isao announced, sitting back. "Looks like neither of you got a point."

Iwao bent over to study the picture. "What _is_ that?"

"It's Pijon," Isao said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "See?" He pointed at the blob of lines. "That's its crest." He moved to the rounded rectangular objects. "Those are its feet." His finger tapped the wings, and finally a triangle. "And the wings and tail."

"_What?_" Iwao stared at what was supposed to be Pijon. "Are you kidding me?"

"No."

"You _have_ to be. You seriously _cannot_ stink this back at drawing, can you? You took art lessons for three years!"

"And it paid off!"

"No it _didn't!_ Well, maybe it did. Otherwise, this Pijon of yours would just be a cloud of something."

"Well, why don't you draw it, then?"

"I will!"

Seiichi snorted and shook his head as Iwao wiped the Pijon away and began sketching out a new one, one that looked almost exactly like the real one. Iwao threw down the dry erase marker. "There."

Isao looked at it. "It looks the same."

Iwao stared at him. "You have _got_ to be kidding me."

Seiichi laughed. "You two are crazy," he said. "Hey, where's Kazuki?"

"He's should be coming soon," Iwao answered, wiping off his picture. "He had trumpet lessons or something like that. The little squirt's getting better every day. Unlike Isao here."

"Mine looked exactly like yours!" Isao protested. "You're just blind!"

"Am not!"

Seiichi rolled his eyes and turned towards the door as more people entered, Kazuki Kitagawa—who also went to Shinjida Elementary, but was in a different class—among them. The ten-year-old's light blue hair was spiked slightly, framing his tanned face and getting in the way of his brown eyes. He wore a white polo shirt with tan cargo shorts, gray tennis shoes, and a lime green wristband.

Kazuki paused to set down his trumpet case and, catching sight of Seiichi, waved. Seiichi nodded in return. Kazuki turned to someone behind him and pointed. A flash of brown hair shot by him and Seiichi was nearly tackled out of his seat by Riiko.

The seven-year-old was wearing an orange shirt with a yellow sun in the middle, brown shorts, black sandals, and a bright pink cap. "Hey, Sei-niichan!" she squealed.

"Hey," Seiichi laughed. "How are you?"

"Great! Yuudai-san came to pick me up today; he said that you were staying behind. Only I had to wait for Kazuki's lesson to finish." Riiko pouted playfully, but washed it away with another grin. "What about you?"

"Fine. Ari and Shion were assigned cleanup duty because they started arguing in class, though." Seiichi shrugged. "So Kaori and I stayed behind to make sure they didn't mess up the classroom."

"Did you have fun?"

Seiichi frowned. "I _think_ so…"

Riiko grinned again. "Great! Hey, there's Reiko! See you, Sei-niichan!" She rushed off, straight into the arms of green-eyed Reiko Itou, daughter of forty-three year old Shinji Itou and forty-three year old Jaarin Itou. The fiery-headed eight-year-old, wearing a pink shirt, white shorts, purple tennis shoes, and a light blue jacket around her waist, shrieked as the two began bouncing up and down excitedly.

Reiko's brother, fifteen-year-old Tadao Itou, watched them, his lips quirked in amusement. He himself had on Oita High's uniform: navy blue blazer, white dress shirt, black dress shoes, a black tie and black slacks. Unlike his sister, he had dark brown hair and dark brown eyes.

Tadao's cousin, as well as Kaori's and Yuudai's, was next to him, her head turned towards Kioshi with whom she was talking with. Miyuki Lee was fifteen years old and had auburn hair and unreadable light brown eyes. She, like Tadao, was dressed in Oita High's uniform: navy blue blazer, white dress shirt, black dress shoes, and a black tie and black skirt. Her parents were forty-three year old Rinchei Lee and forty-two year old Kaede Lee.

Seiichi stood up from the table and took a good look at the now filled restaurant. Kenta was trying to shove a package of noodles at Jenrya, his wife Sachiko laughing behind him. Her long ginger hair was bound up in a bun, and her warm brown eyes were leaking tears as she doubled up.

Sitting at a table nearby, lost in their own world, were thirty-seven-year-old Hiro and thirty-six-year-old Ai Ogawa. Hiro had reddish-ginger hair and brown eyes that were always twinkling with mischief. His sons, Hsiao and Hisashi were behind them at a window, feeding their baby sister, three-year-old Sakura Ogawa.

Hsiao and Hisashi were twelve-year-old twins with carroty-red hair and amber brown eyes. Unlike Isao and Iwao, they were easier to tell apart. Hsiao's hair was cropped short while Hisashi had long, messy shoulder-length hair. Hsiao was busy tinkering with what looked to be a Sasuke action figure that kept banging two cymbals together.

Three-year-old Sakura had a ginger hair and brown eyes, the exact replica of her father. She giggled as Sasuke brought the cymbals together again.

Seiichi rolled his eyes as he got up to go join Kaori who was chatting with Satsumi's sisters, Minako and Aya Lee. Minako was thirteen years old dark blue hair and gray eyes; her sister, Aya, had dark blue hair and wild blue eyes. They both turned as Seiichi approached. "Satsumi's looking for you," Kaori said, jerking her head. "Can't figure out something."

"Then shouldn't he be asking _you_?" Seiichi raised an eyebrow. "You _do_ know more about computers than me."

Kaori flushed slightly. "Maybe so, but he asked for you."

"I'll go with you," Aya said. "I feel like talking to Sa-niichan anyway."

Seiichi shrugged and they went. Satsumi was still pouring over the computer he had been using when Seiichi had walked in. Ari and Shion were behind him, bickering about soda and popcorn.

"Soda's better!" Shion snapped. "People drink it all the time during movies!"

"They eat _popcorn_ too," Ari argued back. "Don't you see them munching on them? Oh, wait, I forgot—you can't see!"

"At least I have common sense!" Shion bawled. "Which is how I know that people like soda at movies better than _popcorn!_"

Satsumi, who Seiichi could see was getting tenser and tenser, slammed the table the computer was on, whirled around and screamed, "_It doesn't matter! How could you two fight about something as __**dumb**__ as that?!_"

Beside Seiichi, Aya clicked the roof of her mouth with her tongue distastefully. "He's not going to get Ari to like him that way," she sighed, shaking her head. "No matter how cool she is."

Seiichi frowned. "Satsumi likes Ari?"

"He hasn't realized it yet," Aya replied, folding her arms. "But he will and when he does…" She trailed off, looking blissful. "They're _perfect_ for each other…."

Seiichi wasn't sure Shion would like that description. The silver-haired boy was currently yelling, "It's not stupid! The one who's dumb is you! If you need computer help, ask _Kaori_, not—oh, uh…hi, Seiichi…."

Seiichi nodded curtly as Ari stepped up to the computer Satsumi was using. "What're you trying to do?" she asked hoarsely.

"I'm trying to get_ this_ to show up, but it won't," Satsumi explained shortly. "A lot of good _you_ could do, though—" He broke off as Ari clicked around. "How did you do that?"

Ari shrugged. "I took the same computer class Seiichi did last year." She turned to Shion. "_That's_ why he asked for Seiichi."

Satsumi gave a wry smile. "Not bad, Matsuda, not bad…." He turned back to the computer as Shion glowered. Ari walked off, towards Kioshi, who was shuffling a deck of cards. Shion followed, scowling.

Aya clasped her hands together. "See?" she breathed. "Sa-niichan complimented her! He's beginning to realize his feelings!" She began muttering to herself. "Now, if only I could get them in the same place at the same time…."

"Whatever plan you're coming up with, Aya," Satsumi called, "stop it. It isn't going to work."

Aya's eyes gleamed. "Oh, yes it is," she promised underneath her breath. "Just you wait." She promptly ran off to where Ari had joined Kioshi in a card game with Shion hanging around in the back.

Seiichi snorted. "Funny sister you have there."

"The most unusual around," Satsumi replied. "Lucky me, eh?"

Seiichi leaned against the counter and looked around. Itadakimasu had turned into a mess of people. Mitsuru and Kazuo were busy racing around the restaurant with Guilmon and Renamon—who didn't look too happy about it—on their backs, respectively. Yuko was following them, a whistle in her mouth, calling penalties and warning others to _get out of the way!_

Takato was balanced precariously on a chair, posed like a ballerina, his mouth full of water, as Hirokazu stared at a stopwatch, presumably part of a dare. Juri was standing nearby, her face in her hands.

Ryou and Ruki were bringing out platters of food, Ryou twirling around and Ruki snapping at him to stop. Shuichi and Shuichon followed, grinning about something. Cyberdramon trudged behind them sullenly, looking as if he had gotten drafted, Calumon bouncing repeatedly on his head joyfully.

Yuudai was busy going around, yanking down the shades, cutting off the Digimon from the world's view. Kaori helped him, both of them joking about something. Lopmon hung off her neck, fixed in a staring contest with Terriermon, who was on Yuudai's head.

Jenrya was running after Minako and Tadao, who were playing soccer, dodging around tables and people. Rinchei was laughing at his younger brother's expense before his wife, Kaede, slapped him on the head and presumably told him to go help. He sulkily did.

Shinji, Tadao and Reiko's father, appeared out of the mob of people and ran alongside Minako and Tadao, yelling out tips and chiding them when one didn't kick the ball right. Jaarin emerged, grabbed his ear, and dragged him off to help carry the food dishes out.

Miyuki was perched on a stack of chairs, painting the entire restaurant and its inhabitants on a piece of parchment paper with a brush and ink.

By now Hiro and Ai had stopped talking and were watching as Makoto made faces at Sakura. The three-year-old giggled and made a grab at his nose. Makoto jerked back with a yell of surprise as his sister and her husband laughed.

Hsiao and Hisashi were busy smacking a balloon back and forth; Hsiao jumped over Impmon and the purple Digimon shouted something as he gave chase. Iwao leaped over Isao's shoulder and nabbed the balloon, laughing his head off as he ran away.

The other four roared something and chased after him, nearly colliding with Mitsuru, Guilmon shrieking happily on his back. Kazuo, huffing, almost crashed into Kazuki as he ran past him, playing his trumpet to the entire restaurant as he followed MarineAngemon around.

Seiichi laughed. "Nice atmosphere."

"You could say that," Satsumi said. Then, as an afterthought: "Wonder when we'll eat."

* * *

Yeah, I take forever. Sorry. And I _am_ working on Chosen Empire. I just got stuck on a part again. 


	3. Chapter Three: The Unknown Forces

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Digimon.

* * *

_**The Way of the Children**  
Chapter Three:  
The Unknown Forces_

(_Iwao Kitagawa; Itadakimasu, West Shinjuku, Tokyo; September 30__th__; 5:54 PM)_

Iwao had just plopped down into his seat, sharing a table with Ari, Hisashi, and Kazuki, his plate loaded with food, and his drink glass filled to the brim, when the explosion happened.

_BOOM_.

The entire restaurant rocked; the chandelier dropped from the ceiling and smashed against the ground. Tadao, who was nearby, threw himself over Aya. Less than a second after that, the covered window next to Iwao shattered, glass shards flying everywhere.

Something—or someone—rammed into him, and they both toppled to the ground, rolling under the table. "You _idiot_," a voice hissed, and Iwao realized that it was Hisashi, his left cheek bleeding. "Don't just stand there gaping." And with that, he charged through the tablecloth and out, back into the screaming fray.

Iwao blinked, still not registering what was happening, then he too went back out. Blowing his ginger hair out of his eyes, he stared. In the center of the restaurant was a Digimon. And it was roaring mad.

Pearl-white fur was in disarray over the Digimon's black, swarthy arms. His right arm was a mechanical device that Iwao had never seen before. And worst of all—the Digimon's eyes were wild, darting around and around the room.

"What…what is that?" Iwao choked. His hands were screaming with pain, and something was trickling down his neck but he didn't care. All he wanted to do was get out of there, because something was wrong…terribly wrong….

"Get everyone out!" Takato was yelling. "The smallest go first! Don't stop until you—" He was cut off as the Digimon, furious with the shouting, swung his right arm and knocked Takato into the counter, where he slumped, unconscious.

"DAD!" Ari screamed, trying to rush forward. Kioshi, standing near her, immediately leaped in her path and wrapped his arms around her, restraining her. "Let me go! _Let me go!_"

Kioshi's reply wasn't as loud, but whatever he said, it made Ari go limp. Then, unexpectedly, she turned and sobbed into his chest. Kioshi didn't say anything; he just held her.

"It's a Gorimon," someone whispered from beside him. Iwao jumped—and promptly knocked his head against the table. He whipped around furiously and saw Minako crouching beside him, her gray eyes unblinking as she stared back at him. "What?"

"You scared me," Iwao snapped.

Minako shrugged. "Just though you might like to know," she said, talking about the Gorimon. "I recognize him from my dad's cards—and how Terriermon keeps bragging about a battle he had with one."

Iwao turned his attention back to the Gorimon. "Think he might be the same one?"

"Doubt it." Then suddenly Minako shot up—banging her head on the table, but ignoring it—and shouted, "Aya! _GET AWAY FROM THERE!_" Without another word, she rushed off, towards her younger sister.

Even before Minako reached the center of the restaurant, Iwao could see the problem. The Gorimon was getting ready to attack, and there happened to be six people in his line of fire, all in a circle—Kazuki, Riiko, Aya, Satsumi, Yuko, and Kazuo. Then Iwao leaped to his feet. It was seven now—Minako had joined them, on the opposite side of where her sister was.

And the Gorimon had just lifted his arm, already fired up. "Energy Cannon!" he snarled. Iwao could see his feet preparing to spin in a circle. There was no way that the seven people trapped by fallen objects or, worse, their own fear, would be able to get out without fatal injuries.

A bright light flashed from within Gorimon's right arm cannon. And, in that second, several things happened.

Ari broke free from Kioshi's grasp and vaulted over a chair, shouting, "Yu-neechan, don't just stand there! _Move!_" and threw herself in the way of the cannon blast. Shion did likewise for his own brother, Kazuo, although he screamed, "Nii-san, you idiot!" as he jumped over his brother's frozen body.

Kaori and Seiichi bolted as one, Kaori shoving Aya out of harm's way quickly, her face unusually stern; Seiichi did the same to Minako, his pale face determined.

Tadao jerked forward, pushing Kazuki behind him. Miyuki, who had been crouched on the ground nearby, rushed into the circle and pulled a stunned Satsumi behind her. And Reiko, little Reiko, stood bravely and darted in front of Riiko, whose leg was trapped underneath an upturned table.

Then, just before each one of them was hit, there was a bright flash of light and a glowing symbol appeared in front of each of those who had rushed in. Ari's sign was a dark red, border lining maroon; Shion's was black, yet get off a warm feeling; Kaori's an ocean blue; Seiichi's golden; Tadao's green; Miyuki's was gray, and Reiko's a bright pink. All were outlined with a faint line of gold.

They were all the same, yet different at the same time. The symbol in front of Ari had two wings crossing at the end with a flame in the center; Shion's symbol had a diamond; Kaori's an ocean wave; Seiichi's a thunderbolt; Tadao's a simple circle; Miyuki's was yet another feather and Reiko's was a sun.

Without warning, a rainbow strand of light flashed between the symbols, bonding them together. The symbols began to shine even more brightly and as the cannon blast smashed into it, the symbols only seemed to grow even bigger.

Gorimon's eyes widened—whether in fear or surprise, Iwao couldn't tell—and began whipping his head around wildly. And then, as one, all seven symbols fired off a single beam—and Gorimon was no more, leaving only a roar of fury to remember him by.

Iwao, trembling, took a small step forward. The seven in the center—Ari, Shion, Kaori, Seiichi, Tadao, Miyuki, and Reiko—all had blank looks of astonishment. Then, out of the blue, they fainted as one.

Shouts erupted as the people the seven had tried to protect attempted to catch the falling ones. Only several succeeded. Iwao slowly walked to the center and helped Kazuki hold Tadao. "Just what," he asked no one in particular, "happened here?"

* * *

(_Ari Matsuda; Matsuda Bakery, West Shinjuku, Tokyo; November 2__nd__; 10:23 AM)_

_**Ari…I await you….**_

_Who's there?!_

_**Visit me soon, alright?**_

_Not until you tell me who you are._

_**Fool. You know who I am. You couldn't have used my—no, **_**our**_**—power otherwise.**_

_What are you _talking_ about?_

_**Wake…wake….**_

Ari bolted upright in bed, her brown eyes wide. Her breath came in fast pants. "Just what…was that?" she muttered, burying her face in her hands. Her left cheek throbbed and she touched it, feeling a small bandage. "Was it a dream? Or a nightmare…?"

_Crash_.

Ari jerked her head up to see Yuko, her hands gripping at empty air, staring at her with a blank face. At her feet was a metal tray, the contents strewn over the floor, the teapot smashed into pieces.

"A-ari," Yuko gasped. "You're awake!" And with that, Yuko tackled her so hard that Ari couldn't breathe. Unable to get a word out, Ari resorted to flapping her arms wildly, attempting to get her sister's attention. Luckily Yuko noticed and let go, but not before shouting, "Ari's awake!" as loud as she could.

Thundering footsteps sounded as Juri, Takato—who was wearing his flour-covered goggles—and Mitsuru pounded upstairs and burst through Ari's door, skidding to a halt at the sight of the broken teapot, or, in Mitsuru's case, leaped over it.

"You're awake!" all three shrieked. And with that, Ari was smothered by hugs.

Finally, unable to take the heat and sick of being suffocated, Ari gasped out, "I can't breathe!" and they all backed away respectively from her. When she had taken in a few gasps of cool air, Ari asked, "What happened?"

They all hesitated. Then Mitsuru spoke up. "Well," he said carefully, "after you jumped in front of someone—I think it was Yuko—and that weird symbol appeared in front of you, and after Gorimon disappeared, you fainted. You've been out for two days, almost three."

"And after you collapsed," Yuko cut in, "we found this in your pocket." Slowly, she withdrew Ari's digivice and placed it carefully next to her pillow. "Strange thing was, Shion, Seiichi, Kaori, Reiko, Tadao, and Miyuki all had one, too."

Ari jerked her head up. "Tadao, Reiko, and Miyuki had one too?" she blurted out.

Takato gave her an odd look. "You knew Shion, Kaori, and Seiichi had one?" he asked instead. He removed his goggles from his head and folded his arms across his chest. "Ayame Matsuda, explain. Now."

Ari gulped; her father was rarely this stern. Yet she couldn't resist asking one more question: "Explain what?"

"About when you would decide on telling that you received a digivice," Takato answered.

"I got it on the day of the reunion," Ari admitted. "It…flew out of a bucket, when Shion and I were cleaning the classroom. There were three others, but they went out the window…" She trailed off, realizing that _those_ must've been for Tadao, Reiko, and Miyuki.

Meanwhile, her parents and her siblings were exchanging glances. "What do you think this means?" Yuko asked, unusually serious as she tucked a strand of dark brown hair behind her ear.

"The only thing," her father replied, staring out of Ari's window. "She _has_ to be a Tamer. It's the only explanation." He let out a groan of frustration. "But _why?_ The Digital World has been in peace for over twenty years!"

Irritated, Takato slammed his goggles beside Ari's pillow, next to her digivice. Absentmindedly, she picked both up and began rubbing the flour off of the lenses, occasionally pressing buttons on the digivice.

_**That's where he's wrong.**_

Ari's eyes flew open—wide, wide open—at the sound of the familiar voice in her head. But before she could comprehend anything, a feeling of warmth overcame her—and she vanished.

"_ARI!_"

* * *

(_Kaori Yamamoto; Yamamoto Residence, West Shinjuku, Tokyo; November 2__nd__; 10:35 AM_)

Kaori had only been awake for twelve minutes, and she was already wishing she was still asleep. Her parents had been arguing over the meaning of her digivice for ten minutes now. And since Yuudai had left for college, there was no one to make funny faces behind their parents' backs.

And then there had been that voice….

Kaori propped her face on her chin—not her left one; it was wrapped in thick gauze after a thick piece of glass had cut it—and stared out the window, drumming her fingers against the wooden table absentmindedly. _"I await you, Kaori Yamamoto"_…what was that supposed to mean?

Still thinking, Kaori got up to go get a drink of water from the refrigerator. As she pulled on the handle, the ground opened up from beneath her and she dropped down, eyes wide, disappearing from sight.

The fridge door was left to swing back and forth.

"KAORI!"

* * *

(_Seiichi Shiota; Room 805, Yuzaku Apartment Complex, West Shinjuku, Tokyo; November 2__nd__; 10:30 AM_)

"Want to play?" Riiko bounced excitedly, her hands clasped together, her blue eyes shining. "Please? Oh, please, please, please, _pleeeaaase_ Sei-niichan!"

Seiichi gave a small smile. "Sure," he said, rubbing his arm where a large bruise had formed. Probably when he had been thrown against the counter after the Gorimon had appeared.

Riiko squealed and rushed off to her room, undoubtedly to retrieve her plastic dolls that the Americans had invented—what were they called…Barbies? In any case, they all looked the same, with their platinum blonde hair and unblinking eyes.

As he waited for his younger sister to turn up in his room, Seiichi processed the words in his dream once more._ "Seiichi Shiota…I'm waiting for you…come soon…."_

He frowned, pondering. "_Who's_ waiting for me?" he asked out loud. Then, as if answering his question, the ground beneath him vanished and, before he could give a yelp, he dropped through it.

"_Sei-niichan!_"

* * *

(_Miyuki Lee; Room 345, Toshino Apartment Complex, East Shinjuku, Tokyo; November 2__nd__; 10:29 AM_)

Miyuki twirled her calligraphy brush in her fingers amiably. After discovering that she was fine, her father—Rinchei Lee—went back to his room to put the finishing touches on a new game. Her mother, Kaede, rushed back to the florist shop she worked at, promising to brink back Miyuki's favorite meal.

A sigh escaped her lips. "I'm bored…." Absentmindedly, she began tracing invisible patterns on the tablecloth with her brush. _"Miyuki Lee…the time has come…for us to meet…"_

Miyuki whipped around. "Who's there?" she shouted.

A thump from down the hall. "Miyuki?" her father called. "What's going on? Is someone at the door?" His footsteps sounded but Miyuki wasn't paying attention.

"Who are you?" she hissed. "This isn't funny."

She never did hear an answer, because as soon as the words left her mouth, a warm feeling overcame her and she disappeared, just as her father appeared in the kitchen.

"Miyuki!"

* * *

(_Shion Akiyama; Akiyama Residence, West Shinjuku, Tokyo; November 2__nd__; 10:32 AM_)

"And when you're in trouble, use _this_," Ryou continued. "It helps with defense. And _this_ little one here will raise your partner's attack power so much, there's no way your opponent will be able to stand."

Shion lifted his head off of his arms and groaned, "Dad, I don't _care_ about the cards. Will you just let me go back to sleep already?"

Ryou lifted an eyebrow. "Not care about the cards? Shion, 'the cards' are the reason why Cyberdramon and I were so powerful. And your mother and Renamon, too."

"Didn't you always say that it was the bond between the two partners that made them strong?" Shion asked, bored out of his mind. His leg still hurt; curse whoever shoved him on the broken chandelier... "Seriously, Dad, shouldn't you get back to _Itadakimasu_?"

"Nah," Ryou answered, stacking the cards back into a pile. "I took a day off. Besides, Lee and Shuichon can get on without me." He got up, smiling slightly. "You're right, you know. About the bond making partners strong."

"Glad to know," Shion muttered, burying his face in his arms once more. _"I'm waiting…Shion Akiyama…don't take too long, now…"_ Shion's eyes widened and he sat up. "Wha…" he began.

Then feeling of warmth came over him and he felt himself disappear, just as Ryou turned back around. "_SHION!_"

* * *

(_Tadao Itou; 7-Eleven convenience store, East Shinjuku, Tokyo; November 2__nd__; 10:34 AM_)

Tadao exited the convenience store, a plastic bag full of Reiko's favorite sweets in one hand, his digivice in the other. "Just what happened that day?" he muttered, recalling the symbol that had appeared in front of him. And even before then, when an orb had clonked him in the back of his head.

Shaking his head, he stowed his digivice back into his pocket. "Well," he said aloud, "at least I'm not wearing my school uniform. Who can stand wearing those, anyways? So itchy…"

As he neared his house, he remembered the words of his waking dream: _"Tadao Itou…I'm waiting for you…_"

"Weird," Tadao mumbled under his breath, reaching for his keys. One of his fingers was covered in band-aids—his parents couldn't find anymore gauze. Then the ground beneath him vanished. His eyes shot open. "What the—!?"

* * *

(_Reiko Itou; Itou Residence, East Shinjuku, Tokyo; November 2__nd__; 10:33 AM_)

Reiko twiddled her thumbs as she watched a rerun of _Pokemon_ on the television screen. Tadao had gone out to buy food for them—seeing as neither of their parents were home—and told her to call if anything happened.

As Satoshi yelled something out and Pikachu responded, Reiko yawned before getting up to get a drink. Pouring herself a glass of water, she thought about the words in her dream. "_Reiko Itou…don't be afraid…I'm waiting for you…_"

"Who could that have been?" she murmured, bringing the glass up to her mouth. As the water began tipping down her throat, a warm feeling came over her and she vanished.

The glass was left to smash onto the tiled floor, the water seeping everywhere.

* * *

(_Ari Matsuda; Land of Battles, Western Hemisphere, Digital World; November 2__nd__; 10:37 AM_)

"_Wake…wake…_"

Ari sat straight up, dimly feeling the weight of her father's goggles in one hand and her digivice in the other. Shaking her head, she took a good look around her and nearly fainted.

She was on a small ledge—barely enough to hold her weight—jutting over an ocean of molten lava. In the middle of the lava was an island with a volcano on it. And in the crater of the volcano was a fiery dragon.

"Welcome, Ayame Matsuda," the dragon rumbled. "Or should I call you Ari?"

* * *

Uh…yeah. I stink at updating this, don't I? But on the upside, I'm updating Chosen Empire faster! Probably because I think it's more interesting. (Nearly done with the next chapter; just have to write out the rest of a battle and it should be up.) 


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